Damping cords for musical instrument



July 3, 1956 R. M. BROWN DAMPING CORDS FOR MUSICAL. INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 21, 1955 INVENTOR For M. Beau/A1 BY ATTOR EYS United rates DAMPING CORDS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Roy M. Brown, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Jaymar Specialty Company, Brooklyn, N. Y., a partnership Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,538 7 Claims. (Cl. 84-403) This invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to pianos using steel rods instead of strings.

A known type of musical instrument employs a metal bar into which a row of vibratile steel rods is secured, the rods being vibratile in cantilever, and being graduated in length in order to provide the different desired frequencies. The rods may be selectively vibrated by means of a keyboard and hammer system. Such a construction has been used for toy pianos, and in somewhat larger form in practice pianos employed for teaching or practice purposes.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve musical instruments of the specified character. Even with correct pitch or frequency for the different rods, corresponding to the different keys of the keyboard, the overall sound will differ substantially from that of a true piano. I have found that the sound may be improved, in the opinion of many listeners, by somewhat damping the vibration of the rods. Accordingly, a further object of the present invention is to provide such damping means. Still another object is to provide damping means which is readily adjustable, and which may be adjusted from outside the instrument case, and yet which is inexpensive to manufacture. Still another object of the invention is to provide means for damping one section of the comb independently of another section of the comb, so that the sound of the instrument as a whole may be adjusted to best satisfy the taste of a particular user.

To accomplish the foregoing objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the elements of the musical instrument and the damping means and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter particularly pointed out in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a musical instrument embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a part of the instrument;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the top of the instrument showing the comb and damping means:

Fig. 4 is a detailed view drawn to enlarged scale and explanatory of a part of the damping means;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view explanatory of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram explanatory of a modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 3, the musical instrument comprises a comb made up of a rigid bar 12, with a row of vibratile rods 14 projecting from the bar. In the present case the rods are selectively set into vibration by means of the keys of a keyboard indicated at 16 in Fig. 1. The keys actuate hammers which strike the rods, it being understood that there is one key and one hammer for each rod. A typical hammer is shown at 18 in Fig. 2, it being struck upwardly about its end 20 to hit that one of the vibratile rods 14 which is disposed above the hammer. The rod vibrates in cantilever, it having a free end toward the right in Fig. 2, while its stationary end is tightly fixed in a heavy stationary metal bar 12.

The key action for impelling the hammer against the rod may be of any desired character. The particular key and hammer system here employed need not be described in detail, it being shown and fully described in U. S. Patent 2,641,153, issued June 9, 1953, to Jerome D. Enochs and the present inventor jointly.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the vibration of the rods 14 is damped by means of a flexible strand 22 which passes above one rod and beneath the next rod, and so on. This strand is tensioned by a suitable means generally designated 24, thereby somewhat inhibiting vibration. With a single strand there would be a tendency to bias one rod in one direction, and the next rod in opposite direction.

For more effective damping action, and to apply force symmetrically to each of the rods, I prefer to employ a pair of strands, there being another strand 26 which is oppositely woven through the rods 14. More specifically the strand 26 passes beneath a rod over which the strand 22 passes, and conversely strand 26 passes over a rod beneath which the strand 22 passes. The means 24 serves to simultaneously draw both strands taut.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the pair of strands are stationarily anchored on a fixed post 28. The strands are then woven through the rods as previously described, and are connected to a post 30 which forms a part of the tensioning means 24.

The tension is preferably adjustable in a manner which may be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing. Like Fig. 3, these are inverted. The post 30 is frictionally rotatable in a bearing 32. The latter may be a block of wood which is longitudinally split at 34. The friction applied to post 39 may be adjusted by means of a cross-screw 36 which tends to pull the two sides of the split block together. The end of post 30 may be provided with means 38 to help rotate the same. This could be a knob or even a worm and gear arrangement, but in the present case is simply a screwhead which is turned with the aid of a screwdriver. The other end of post 30 preferably has a hole 39 drilled therethrough, and the strands may be passed through the hole and tied. The strands 22 and 26 may be the halves of one single continuous strand which passes through hole 39, and the opposite ends of which may be tied at the fixed post 28 previously referred to.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the upper end of the adjusting post is shown at 38, it being understood that Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show the parts in inverted condition. It will be evident from inspection of Fig. 1 that the adjusting means is outside of the piano case, in a readily accessible location.

As so far described the rods would all be damped substantially equally. I have found that improved results may be obtained by treating the comb as though divided into sections, and independently damping each of the sections. In the present case it will be seen from inspection of Fig. 3 that the comb is divided into two sections. The rods 14 constitute the base half of the comb, and are damped under control of a frictionally rotatable post 30 as previously described. The rods 44 make up the treble half of the comb, and are independently damped by a pair of cords 46 and 48 which are drawn taut by a tensioning means 50, which similarly may include a frictionally rotatable post '52. The screw-slotted upper end of this post is marked 54 in Fig. 1.

The posts 38 and 54, and the damping cords tensioned thereby, have all been shown further back inFig. 1 than their true position (which is better shown in Fig. 3). This has been done to simplify the drawing by omitting the hammer action.

Referring 'to-Fig-r l; theinstrument includes a case, generallydesignated 56, within which the comb and harm mers, etc., are concealed, while the keyboard 16 is exposed at the front of the case. The top of the case is closed byaflatzwood cover 53, which is held in position byscrewsnot shown in the drawing. In Figure 2 it will be seen that the bar 12 of the comb issecured to the top;58-through a spacer 60. This may be abar of wood. The friction block 32 for the adjustable post 30 is also secured .to the top 58, and the screws employed for that purpose are shown inrFig. 4 at 62. Thus the comb and thedamping means are mounted wholly on top cover 58, and are made accessible. for inspectionand-repair when the cover is, removedzandinverted as shown in Fig. 3. The keyboard and hammer action are mounted in and remain Withthecase 56;:

It .will' be understood that while I have shownthe comb divided into two sections,.,it.mayequally well be divided.

intothree ormoresections. A division into-three sections is schematically shown in Fig. 6, in whichstrands 70; are woven through one-third of the rods (not shown) of a comb (not shown); strands 72.are woven through the middle third; and strands 74 are woven through the other end ofthe comb. The strands 70'a1'e anchored around a fixed post 76, and are adjustably tensioned by a frictionally rotatablepost 78, as previously described. The strands 72,rnay be anchored about the rotatable post 78, but in that case it will be understood that-they pass around a smooth cylindrical part of the post, in contrast with strands 70 which pass through a hole inthe post as indicated-at 80. The strands 72 pass through a.hole in another frictionally rotatable post 82. ends of strands 74 pass slidably around a smooth cylindrical part of post 82, while the other ends pass through a hole in a frictionally rotatable post 84. Thus the damping of the first third is adjusted at 78; the damping of the second third at 82, and-the damping of the third third at 84. It will be understood that the showing in Fig. 6- is schematic, and that for simplicity the vibratile rods have been omitted, and .the number of rods in each section has been greatly reduced.

It is believed that the construction and method ,of use of my improved musical instrument, as well as the advantagesthereof, willbe apparent from the foregoing I detailed. description. It will also be apparent that while. I have shown-anddescribed my invention in a. preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown without-departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A musical instrument having a ,comb made up. of a.

2. A musical instrument having a comb made up of av rigid bar with, arowof vibratile rods of graduated length projecting-transversely from saidbar, one end of each of said rods being fixedly secured in said bar, the other end being free forvibration, a keyboard and a hammer systern actuated thereby to strike the rods, and. an adjustable damping means, said means comprisingv a pair of flexible.

strands, one. of said strands passing above one rod and beneath the next rod, in alternation, and the other ofsaid flexible strands passing beneath the first rod and above the next rod in alternation, in a direction generally collateral of and'spaced from the bar, and adjustable means to simultaneously draw both strands taut in order to dampen the vibration of the rods.

3. A'musical instrument having a comb made up of a The stationary rigid bar with a row of vibratile rods of graduated length projecting transversely from said bar, one end 'of each -of I said rods being fixedly secured in said bar, the other end being free for vibration, a piano-type keyboard and a hammer system actuated thereby to strike the rods, and an adjustable damping means, said means comprising a pair of flexible strands, one of said strands passing above one rod and beneath the next'rod in alternation, and the other of said flexible'strands passingbeneath the first rod and above the next rod in alternation, in a direction generally collateral of andspaced from the bar, and adjustable means to simultaneously draw both-strands taut in order to dampenthe vibration of the rods, the instrument including a case within which the comb and hammer system are housed'and concealed while the keyboard is exposed, and at least a part of the aforesaid adjustable means being accessible from outside the case to facilitate adjustment.

4. A musical instrument having a comb made -upofa rigid bar with a row of vibratile rods of graduated length-- projecting transversely from said bar, one end of each of said rods being fixedly secured in said bar, the-other end being free for vibration, and an adjustable damping means, said means comprising a-fiexible strand passing above one rod and beneath the next rod in alternation in a direction collateral of and spaced from the bar, and adjustable means to tension said strandin order to dampenthe vibration of the rods, the adjustable means to tension' the strand including a rotatable post disposed with its axis transverse to the bar, the strand being wound'on the post by rotating the post, and one end of-the post being provided with means to rotate the same.

5. A musical instrument having a comb made up of a" rigid bar with a row of vibratile rods of graduated length projecting transversely from said bar, one end of'each of said rods being fixedly secured in said bar, the other end being free for vibration, a piano-type keyboard and a hammer system actuated thereby to strike the rods, and

an adjustable damping means, said means comprising a pair of flexible strands, one of said strands passing. above one rod and beneath the next rod in alternation, and the other of said flexible strands passingbeneath the first rod and above the next rod in alternation, in a. direction gen-- erally collateral of and spaced from the bar, and adjusts able means to simultaneously draw both strands taut'in. order to dampen the vibration of the rods, said adjustable. means including a rotatable post disposed with its axist transverse to the bar, the strands being wound on the post by rotating the post, one end of the postbeing pro-v vided with means to rotate the same, and a split block acting as a bearing for the post, said split block having a screw to draw the sides of the split block together in? order to provide adequate friction to hold the post and above one rod and beneath the next rod in alternation in a direction collateral of and spaced from the bar atone section, and adjustable means to tension said strand in order to dampen the. vibration of the rods in said section, whereby one section of the comb may be dampeda desired amount independently. of the amountanother section is clamped.

7. A musical instrument having a comb madeup: of arigid bar with a row of vibratile rods of graduated lengthprojecting transversely from said bar, one endof each'ofsaid rods being fixedly secured in said bar, the other endbeing free for vibration, a piano-type keyboard and a hammer system actuated thereby to strike'the rods,- the 5 6 comb being divided into a plurality of sections, and a References Cited in the file of this patent plurality of adjustable damping means, one for each sec- '1' tion, each damping means comprising a pair of flexible UNHED STAES PATENTS strands, one of said strands passing above one rod and Y 389313 Hudsqn Sept 1888 beneath the next rod in alternation, and the other of said 5 1,763,518 Hawels June 1930 flexible strands passing beneath the first rod and above 1,886,603 Strothotte 81 1932 the next rod in alternation, in a direction generally col- 27071414 Marshall May 1955 lateral of and spaced from the bar at one section, and FOREEGN PATENTS adjustable means to simultaneously draw both strands taut in order to dampen the vibration of the rods in said 10 250303 Germany Sept 1912 section, whereby one section of the comb may be damped a desired amount independently of the amount another section of the comb is damped. 

